Sustainably supporting 8 billion people with EU Space

Having hit the 8 billion mark late last year, the global population is expected to swell to a whopping 9 billion people by 2037. 

As the population grows, so too will its impact on the environment, climate change, resource use and urbanisation. So, how do we sustainably provide for 8 billion people, let alone 9? 

According to a new report published by the EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA),  in partnership with the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) the answer can be found in space.

Entitled “Contribution to the Space2030 Agenda – The European Union Space Programme “EU Space” Supporting a world with a population of 8 billion”, the report focuses on how to best leverage EU Space data and information to answer the sustainability challenges of today while also paving the way towards a sustainable – and more densely populated – future.

Space as a driver for sustainable development

Released within the framework of the UN’s Space 2030 Agenda, which provides a roadmap for using space as a driver for sustainable development, the report looks at how Copernicus, Galileo, EGNOS and GOVSATCOM can address such population-related challenges as food security, water management, climate change and the environment.   

“Through case studies and concrete examples, this report showcases how the EU Space Programme and its synergies actively contribute to tackling some of the most pressing sustainability challenges,” says EUSPA Executive Director Rodrigo da Costa. 

“By raising awareness about different solutions and stressing the importance of space in a world with an increasing population, we’ve provided a very practical overview for decision and policy makers on what space can do vis-à-vis the selected challenges,” adds UNOOSA Acting Director Niklas Hedman. 

The report is the latest outcome of a March 2022 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that EUSPA and UNOOSA signed to collaborate on using space technology to achieve the shared goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Paris Agreement on Climate Change and EU Green Deal.   

You can read the full report here.  

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